CH 53

Today Shen Wenqiu and Lu Yong went to the capital by plane to receive the award. In two days, the National Science and Technology Progress Award would be presented at the ceremony.

Shen Wenqiu was so nervous that he didn’t sleep well all night. Lu Yong was calmer than him, and got up at 6:30 as usual.

Their plane tickets were booked for eleven o’clock.

It was still early, so there was no need to hurry.

Earlier Shen Wenqiu subconsciously wanted to book a train ticket.

Lu Yong said funnily, “You are not on the bank blacklist now, why do you have to take the train to suffer? We can take the plane.”

Only then did Shen Wenqiu react.

‘Oh, he was no longer on the blacklist…’ Lu Yong had already helped him write off the bank’s debt.

He was now a citizen living a clean life and from the perspective of social credit, he had reincarnated.

So he rebooked the ticket and Lu Yong even bought a first-class ticket extravagantly. He had been buying business class and it was his first time buying a first-class ticket, but he wanted Shen Wenqiu to sit and watch.

The National Award was not an ordinary award. Lu Yong would have to go to the Great Assembly Hall and there would even be senior leaders of the Central Government to give him the award in person.

Shen Wenqiu felt nervous when he thought about it. He thought that Lu Yong was handsome, but it would be different if he was going to a formal occasion. He wanted to get Lu Yong to do a hairstyle, order a new suit and buy new shoes. It was best to match it with watches, neck pins, etc.

The idea was rejected by Lu Yong. Lu Yong said, “It’s fine to wear the old clothes that I have always used to attend formal occasions. It also looks decent. As long as it looks decent, it’s enough. It doesn’t have to be too flashy.”

Shen Wenqiu thought about it again, Lu Yong was right.

Lu Yong put a black suit in the suitcase and Shen Wenqiu felt that the suit was a little familiar. He didn’t ask directly. Instead, he said, “I think the other suit looks better? Why not take that set.”

Lu Yong said honestly and frankly, “I wore this suit when I went to take you home. It has a different meaning. I also want to wear it to receive the award.”

Shen Wenqiu recalled the scene at that time. Lu Yong was standing under the scorchy and strong midday sun across a busy road. He stood next to a dark car, like a silent reef, looking at him from the other side.

‘What was he thinking then?’

He thought, it’s good that he could see Lu Yong again before he died and that Lu Yong was still willing to come to see him.

At that time, he thought he was doomed.

He never thought that one day he would be able to survive.

Shen Wenqiu silently helped Lu Yong fold his clothes neatly and put them in the suitcase, “Then just bring this set along too. You look good in it, I like it all.”

When he now recalls the time when he used to go to the police station, it already seemed as distant as if it were in his previous life.

After they washed up in the morning, they put toothpaste and toothbrushes in and checked their luggage along the way.

They had already cleaned it up last night, but he was still afraid that something would be left behind. So he opened it a little nervously, checked it again and confirmed that nothing was missing.

Lu Yong was a very detailed person. He also made a list and compared them one by one.

……

……

Shen Wenqiu glanced at the draft in Lu Yong’s notebook where it was written:

…

A set of toiletries. ✓

Documents. ✓

Laptop. ✓

…

If he brought it, he would tick it.

As he saw Shen Wenqiu watching him, Lu Yong glanced at him and then added an item at the end of the list in front of him:

…

A little Baa.

…

Then he ticked it.

Shen Wenqiu laughed and said, “You are not allowed to call me Xiao baa when I go out. I am already so old, it’s embarrassing.”

“I think it’s cute.” Lu Yong said solemnly, “No matter how old you are, I think you’re cute.”

It’s scary for honest people to talk about sweet nothings, Shen Wenqiu thought for the nth time.

Baggage, checked.

It was only half past seven.

They boiled two eggs, steamed a large box of buns, served them with a cup of soy milk, and the two sat together to eat this homely meal.

Shen Wenqiu subconsciously wanted to pour breakfast for the dog too. When he walked to the dog food bucket, he felt it was too quiet. So he remembered that they had sent the dog to a pet store because they were going to travel far away for a few days.

He has a good relationship with Pidan now.

Usually when he was lying on the sofa, Pidan would jump on the sofa and sleep next to him. Lu Yong was busy, so he walked the dog more. Recently Pidan didn’t like to find Lu Yong. It would come over with the dog leash in its mouth and stare at Shen Wenqiu expectantly.

It felt strangely lonely that he would not see the dog for several days.

Lu Yong received a call from his father, because his father knew he was leaving today. His father specially conveyed his greetings to him. He first warned him to be careful on the road and then said, “…you are still going to take Xiao Baa with you? Take care of him more, he’s sick.”

Shen Wenqiu felt like he was dreaming back about his high school days and like then, Uncle Lu also reminded Lu Yong to take care of him every time.

Shen Wenqiu interjected, “Uncle, I’m much better now.”

Lu Yong smiled at him and said, “Yes, I forgot to tell you that Xiao Baa has become more cheerful recently. But I still have to bring him along. For such an important moment, he definitely has to accompany me.”

His father said, “Yes, and it’s just right. Without Xiao Baa, maybe there would be no company today. How can you have today without him?”

This statement made Shen Wenqiu unhappy.

He was Lu Yong’s number one die-hard fan.

It was hard to refute an elder’s words. But when Uncle Lu hung up the phone, Shen Wenqiu said to Lu Yong, “How can I have such a big role? I think that even without me, you will definitely succeed. I’m just lucky to meet you and make up this number.”

Lu Yong shook his head, “No, you are indispensable. There are many opportunities. If you miss them, you won’t have them again. If you hadn’t persuaded me, how could I have started a company in high school? If I hadn’t, I probably would’ve been a senior researcher at one of the big companies like Teacher Ding at best.”

Lu Yong thought about it for a while and then said consciously and amusingly, “Actually, I quite like working as a researcher. Sometimes I feel that being a boss is troublesome. If you socialise too much, your brain will become slow.”

Shen Wenqiu said excitedly, “Then you can devote more energy to research in the future, it doesn’t matter. I will do company management and project planning and you can have more time to do what makes you feel happy.”

Lu Yong listened to his wife, “Okay, do it if you’re happy. If you’re not happy, don’t tire yourself either.”

The two were talking.

Shen Wenqiu’s cell phone rang and he picked up the phone, “En, it’s me. Is it so fast? … I’m at home. … Okay, okay, bring it over.”

Then hung up.

Lu Yong asked, “Is it a delivery?”

Shen Wenqiu nodded, “En, there’s a delivery that I lost before. The other party actually contacted me and then paid for it for me.”

“I thought it would arrive in a few days, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”

“The express delivery industry has also developed quite rapidly in the past two years.” Lu Yong said, he subconsciously analyzed, “In the future when e-commerce and logistics become better and better, there will be more and more packaging waste…”

The two discussed it and halfway through their discussion, the delivery arrived.

Lu Yong didn’t ask what kind of delivery it was, but Shen Wenqiu directly put the delivery package on the table in the living room and opened it.

There was a small box inside the big box. The big box was new and the small cardboard box was old. There was a yellowed express delivery note on the outside with the name of Shen Wenqiu written on it and the date was five years ago. Shen Wenqiu said, “After my family went bankrupt, I moved. I packed a lot of luggage and sent it to the rental place, but I lost several pieces.”

“I didn’t expect to find it back one day.”

When Shen Wenqiu had gotten in touch with the other person, he vaguely noticed it. As soon as he opened the small cardboard box, as expected, there was a thick diary wrapped in a cloth book jacket on top.

Lu Yong recognized it at a glance. He couldn’t be more familiar with it. This was a diary that recorded his secret love throughout his high school years.

It was his love letter to Shen Wenqiu.

Shen Wenqiu took out the diary and said, “See, I was not willing to throw it away back then. So I kept it secretly.”

He put the diary down. There were other things in the small cardboard box. Shen Wenqiu looked up at Lu Yong, then lowered his head again and took out another book from the box like a brick notebook.

Lu Yong asked, “What is this?”

Shen Wenqiu said, “The scrapbook I made when I was in college.”

Lu Yong walked to Shen Wenqiu’s side and Shen Wenqiu opened the book to show him. It was full of silhouettes. It was Lu Yong’s silhouette.

He secretly collected Lu Yong’s information from everywhere. Lu Yong’s thesis, Lu Yong’s news and Lu Yong’s photos on social networks.

Lu Yong, Lu Yong, Lu Yong, all of them were Lu Yong.

Shen Wenqiu touched his nose embarrassedly, “I scolded you for being a pervert, but I am also a pervert. I originally thought at the time that I must make a career for myself before I could go and see you again. I didn’t expect to go bankrupt directly. So I was embarrassed to go to you again and after I lost this book, I didn’t make a new one.”

Lu Yong’s old face and ears were all red. The two people looked at each other. Obviously they looked like an old husband and wife who would sometimes feel innocent and shy. Lu Yong was so happy that he was at a loss. His tongue was about to knot, “It doesn’t matter. I like it, I like it very much.”

Lu Yong said, “Let’s take both books with us.”

Shen Wenqiu replied, “Okay.”

The two took back their copy and handed it to each other.

The love letter written by Lu Yong was put into Shen Wenqiu’s suitcase and the love letter written by Shen Wenqiu was packed into Lu Yong’s suitcase.

The originally full suitcase, plus a book, was stuffed to the brim.

It was past nine o’clock. It was time to go.

They arrived at the airport early and then waited in the waiting room. There was still an hour and a half before they boarded the plane.

The weather was excellent today — clear, cloudless and a tingling blue sky.

Shen Wenqiu sat beside Lu Yong. At this ordinary and unremarkable moment, due to a moment of reverie, he felt that the sunlight pouring in from the floor-to-ceiling window seemed to fill his heart.

So warm.

He didn’t want to be rich and noble, nor did he want to make any achievements. He just hoped that they could all be safe and healthy, and pass through every moment in the future just like this moment.

Alive and living well.

As soon as he relaxed, he became sleepy because he didn’t sleep well last night. So he leaned on Lu Yong’s shoulder to sleep.

He dreamed that when he fell into the river, something pulled at his feet, causing him to sink deeper. Lu Yong swam over. This time, he didn’t struggle, but held Lu Yong’s hand and was pulled ashore by Lu Yong.

“Xiao Baa, wake up.”

Lu Yong gently woke him up.

Shen Wenqiu yawned.

Lu Yong took care of the grid patterned scarf around his neck, then held hands with him using the prosthetic hand, and said, “Let’s go.”

“It’s time to take off.”

End of main story:

The author has something to say:

[This article participated in the Jinjiang essay competition for the second time. Please vote, 10 moonstones can cast one vote.

PC and WAP voting entry: Click on the small red words next to the title of the book, and find “Second-hand Love Letter” to vote in the Earth Homeland theme.

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Thank you.]

When I write here today, I suddenly feel like it’s a matter of course. I think it’s good to end here and a little blank space was left, which I like very much.

In fact, regular readers know that I have been in a particularly bad state for the past six months. I am not confident in what I have written. I am very satisfied with the completion of the work. Although the update is unstable, I think I’ve written it very seriously this time, so I am very satisfied with myself. In contrast, this is a book I wrote for myself.